Public Opinion About Health Care - Many Americans Are Concerned About Their Ability To Pay For Health Care

Although a Gallup Organization poll conducted in April 2004 named retirement planning—Americans' fears that they will be unprepared to retire from the workforce because they will not have enough money—as number one in terms of urgent concerns, anxiety about health care costs was a close second (Lydia Said, "Retirement Planning Leads Americans' Financial List," Gallup Poll News Service, The Gallup Organization, May 18, 2004). Nearly half of the adults surveyed (47%) said they were worried about their ability to pay for the costs associated with a serious illness or accident, and 37% were worried about paying for normal or routine health care services. Two of the top five financial concerns expressed by the survey respondents centered on fears about health care costs. (See Figure 9.6.)

The Gallup Poll also revealed that the proportion of Americans that is fearful—very worried or moderately worried—about the ability to pay for routine or serious medical care costs has not significantly changed in recent years. For example, the proportion of Americans who were very worried about being unable to pay for normal health care was comparable in 2001 (22%) and 2004 (21%). Similarly, in 2001 27% of survey respondents worried about being unable to pay medical care costs in the event of a serious illness, and in 2004 26% expressed this concern. More than one-third of Americans worry about how to pay for routine medical expenses, according to the 2004 data, and nearly half are concerned about their ability to pay the costs associated with a serious illness or accident. (See Table 9.1.)

While the percentage of Americans who worry about their ability to pay for health care has remained relatively constant in recent years, the percentage of Americans who are very dissatisfied with the availability of affordable health care steadily increased from 37% in January 2001 to 45% in January 2004. (See Figure 9.7.)

Who Is Most Concerned about Health Care Costs?

The January 2004 Gallup Poll found significant differences among adults who said they were worried about their ability to pay for medical care in the coming months. More women (38%) than men (25%) expressed concern about paying for health care. Not surprisingly, more than half of respondents with annual household incomes under $30,000 worried that they would be unable to pay medical bills in the coming year, compared to only 12% of those with household incomes in excess of $75,000. Interestingly, concern about paying health care costs varied based on political party affiliation. Just 15% of Republicans said

FIGURE 9.6

they worried about paying for health care compared to 37% of Democrats and 43% of Independents.